There are plenty of reasons to go to a state or county fair — rides, livestock, exhibits, concerts, competitions and the chance to run into somebody you haven’t seen since last year’s fair.

But we know one attraction that rarely needs advertising: the food.

Fair food has developed a culture all its own. Take an ordinary food, put it on a stick or drop it into a deep fryer, and somebody at a fair has probably tried it.

Across America, some fair foods have become almost as famous as the fairs themselves.

Oregon has the Pronto Pup, a battered hot dog on a stick whose history dates to the 1940s. Minnesota fairgoers line up for buckets of Sweet Martha’s warm chocolate chip cookies. Iowa has made a meal portable with its pork chop on a stick.

Then things get interesting.

Texas is known for deep-fried butter. Louisiana has served alligator on a stick. Fried Oreos have spread well beyond their Texas State Fair beginnings to become a familiar sight at fairs around the country.

Of course, not everything needs to be unusual. Funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar remain a fair classic, proving that sometimes the old favorites are favorites for a reason.

Fair season comes to Knoxville

East Tennesseans can sample their own fair favorites when the Tennessee Valley Fair returns to Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center in Knoxville Sept. 11-20. The annual fair combines midway rides, agricultural exhibits, competitions, live entertainment and, of course, plenty of fair food.

Whether your must-have is a funnel cake, something deep-fried or a treat you only eat once a year, the Tennessee Valley Fair offers a chance to continue a tradition that has been bringing East Tennesseans together for generations.

Maybe it is the smell of something frying before you even reach the midway. Maybe it is splitting a funnel cake with the family — and then realizing nobody really wants to split it.

Or maybe it is trying something you would never order anywhere else simply because you’re at the fair.

That’s part of the fun.

This year, look beyond your usual favorite and try something new.

At the fair, apparently almost anything tastes better deep-fried or on a stick.

Amy Harrington Bible is a feature writer for KnoxTNToday, writing a weekly column that will offer valuable insights and practical tips to enhance daily life. Amy Harrington Bible is the owner of Harrington Insurance Agency, a company that has been offering independent insurance services in the Knoxville, TN area since 1942. Bible carries the legacy of the family-owned and operated business with the skills and experience to meet any insurance need you may have.

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